Action for double barrel firearms



May 5,` 1.964

A J.. ARSENAULT ACTION; FOR DOUBLE BARREL FIREARMSI 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fired septr 25, 1963 .ml w,

. mw, ,/JQ/ a E A a N May 5, 1954 A. J. ARSI-:NAULTr 3,131,499

ACTION FOR DOUBLE BARREL FIREARMS,

Filed, sept.v 23, 1963 2 sheets-sheer 2 INVENTOR United States Patent Oillice 3,131,499 PatentedrMay 5, 1964 3,131,499 ACTIN FR DUELE BARREL lFfiEARM Amedee I. Arsenault, Viile Jacques Cartier,

. Quebec, Canada Filed Sept. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 316,535 Claims. (El. 42-42) This invention relates to improvements in action for use with double barrel guns and particularly in improvement in the manner of selecting one barrel or the other for firing.

Many different types of gun actions for use with double barrelled guns have heretofore been proposed. It is a usual requirement in providing such action to have a low cost method of constructing the various parts of the action and at the same time produce an action which is reliable in use. Many of the prior gun actions fall short of this requirement since it is conventional practice to resort to many different interacting parts in order to achieve the required features.

Furthermore, it is conventional practice to utilize a receiver machined from one solid piece of material in order to provide a breech capable of withstanding the high gas pressures during firing. A serious disadvantage with this method is found in the' fact that the cost of machining is often prohibitive for general use. In providing for a suitable means of selecting a particular barrel on double barrel guns many prior actions have resorted to the use of rotating cogs and pawls with the result that the action becomes extremely complicated in construction which besides increasing costs also increases the likelihood of early failure of the mechanism.

Still other types of prior action resort to closely fitted cam surfaces which in many instances are not positive in action and thus lead to unsafe features. This in turn necessitates the use of additional parts in order to overcome the unsafe features all of which tend to increase the cost of the action without increasing the usefulV features thereof.

. Other methods such as multiple triggers have been resorted to in attempting to provide a suitable solution for the problem of multiple barrel guns. This, although being an obvious solution, in fact necessitates the use of a double breech and firing mechanism within one receiver which effectively doubles the price of the action.

f Accordingly, yit is an object of the present invention to provide Va double barrel action for firearms of the over and under type which is simple and reliable in construction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a double barrel action of the type described which may be manufactured by simple processes, whereby an inexpensive action may be provided.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a double barrel action for firearms of the over and under type which will provide means for selecting either barrel for firing by a single trigger and sear action.

' It is a still further object of this invention to provide a double barrel action for firearms of the over and under type in which both barrels may be independently interchanged, thus allowing anl unlimited number of barrel combinations.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a double barrel action for firearms of the over and under type n which the entire operating mechanism may be removed from the gun stock for inspection and service simply by removing the screws that maintain the mechanism in place. These and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings lin which like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a mid vertical section through an action according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 2 2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of the arrow indicated as 3 in FIG. l.

Having reference to FIGS. l, 2 and 3, a firearm action indicated generally as 11 is illustrated and comprises a receiver 12 formed from a pair of side plates 13 and 14. Receiver side platesy 13 and 14 extend throughout the length of action 11 and are adapted to contain all of the operating mechanism therewithin.

A barrel support 15 is hingedly secured at 16 to receiver 12 and is adapted to support barrels 17 and 18 therewithin. Barrels 17 and 18 are mounted one above the other in the manner commonly termed as over. and under. The barrels may be bored for any suitable shell size and may be different types of shells, for instance, the lower barrel being used for a riie shell and the upper barrel being used for a shotgun shell, the lower barrel normally having better support than the upper barrel as the lower barrel normally rests directly in the hands of the user.

Barrel support 15 has an extractor 19 slidably located therewithin for reciprocal movement parallel with the barrels 17' and 18. Extractor 19 has projecting lips 20 and 21 which are adapted to engage with the rims 22 and 23 respectively of shells 24 and 25. Upon rearward movement of extractor 19 the shells 24 and 25 are lifted partially out of the. breech chamber within barrels 17 and 18. An extension 26 on extractor 19 is adapted to engage with a slot 27 on receiver side plates 13 and 14, whereby upon downward movement of barrels 17 and 18, the barrel support 15 moving upwardly causes the projection 26 to move within the slot 27 and thus forces extractor 19 rearwardly.

A breech plate 2S is secured between side plates 13 and 14 and is adapted to bear against shells 24 and 25 upon barrel support 15 being in the ready to re position, breech plate 23 absorbing a pair of breech locks 29 and 30, said locks being adapted to engage with recesses 31 in barrel support 15.

A pair of firing pins 32 and 33 are mounted for reciprocal movement within the receiver 12 and have forward projections 34 and 35 which project through the breech plate 28 and constitute the means of firing the shells 24 and 25. Firing pins 32 and 33 are supported in the rear position by means of a support plate 36. A pair of springs 3'7 and 3S bias the firing pins 32 and 33 forwardly.

A sear support 39 is secured within the receiver 12 intermediate of breech plate ZSand support 36; A sear plate 40 having sear edges 41 and 42 is slidably located on support 39 and is adapted for vertical reciprocal movement thereon. Sear rims 43 and 44 on firing pins 32 and 33 respectively are adapted to be held by sears 41 and 42 upon said firing pins being in the rearward or cocked position. A trigger 45 is pivotally secured at 46 to receiver 12 and has a forward extension 47 in engagement with Sear plate 40.

A cocking block 48 is rigidly secured to both said breech locks 29 and 311 and is movable therewith. A combination cocking lever and trigger guard 49 pivotally secured to receiver 12 at 50 is adapted through lever means tion by scar plate 4i).

A lever 54 has one free end removably clipped into cocking lever 49 at 55, the other end of lever 54 being pivotally secured to barrel support at 56, cooking lever 49 thereby, upon being pivoted away from gun stock 55a, automatically opening the barrels 17 and 18.

A selector shaft 57 is pivotaliy mountedin an upright position at the `rearward end of receiver 12 and is provided with a selector lever 58 projecting through the receiver for manual operation of said selector shaft. A pair of locking jaws 59 and 6i) are secured to said shaft 57, locking jaws 59 and 60 being substantially in line with firing pins 32 and 33 respectively. Locking jaws 59 and 60 are disposed to either side of the shaft 57 whereby upon pivotal movement'of shaft 57 either one of said locking jaws are caused to engage with the rearward extension 61 and 62 of firing pins 32 and 33 respectively, said jaws when so engaged, preventing forward movement of the respective firing pin upon release of same by sear plate 40. A safety reset 63 including a pair of arms 64 and 65 is also secured to shaft 57, said arms 64 and 65 being adapted for engagement with rearward extensions 66 and 67 of breech locks 29 and 30 respectively. Upon rearward movement of breech locks 29 and 30 one arm 64 or 65 projecting slightly forwardly is moved rearwardly thus causing shaft 57 to rotate.

A trigger safety lock 68 is secured to the lower end of shaft 57 and is adapted in the centre position of shaft 57 to engage with a projection 69 on trigger 45 thereby preventing said trigger from moving rearwardly and tiring either of the firing pins 32 and 33. Shaft 57 is held in the centre position by means of the rearward projections 66 and 67 bearing on the arms 64 and 65.

In use the lever 49 is moved downwardly to open the breech whereby shells 24 and 25 may be placed within the respective barrels. During movement of the barrels downwardly the barrel support 15 moves upwardly which through the linkage of lever 54 and cooking lever 49 causes the cooking block 48 to move rearwardly and cock both firing pins 32 and 33 in the manner as aforesaid. Also at this time the breech locks 29 and 3) moving rearwardly will be means of interaction with arms 64 and 65 on reset 63 cause shaft 57 to be centred whereby trigger lock 68 is in the centre position preventing movement of trigger 45. The breech may then be closed by moving the barrels upwardly the gun then being in the safety-on position.

Upon it being desired to fire either the upper or lower barrel the selector lever 58 is moved to the left or the right as desired whereupon the locking jaws 59 or 60 are released from engagement with the respective tiring pin and also at this time one or the `other arms 64 or 65 cause one or the other breech locks 29 or 30 to move into position within the respective recess 31. In this position the gun is ready for tiring. Upon it being desired to lire the other barrel, the lever 58 is moved to the opposite position thus readying the other pin for tiring and reversing the position of the breech locks 29 and 30.

It will be understood that although a specific embodiment of this invention has herein been described and illustrated, the invention also contemplates such changes in design as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An action for double barrel firearms wherein either one `of two different independently interchangeable barrels may be selected for firing independently and comprising a receiver defined by a pair of side plates; a barrel support, whereby a pair of barrels are supported in parallel relationship one above the other, said support being hingeably secured to the front end of said receiver, Whereby said barrels may be swung downwardly; a breech plate secured to said receiver between said side plates and adapted to support shells in said barrels, upon said barrel support being in the closed position; a pair of firing pins reciprocally mounted in said receiver and projecting through said breech plate to be substantially in line with said barrels, said pins including cocking shoulders and sear rims; spring means biasing said tiring pins forwardly; a sear plate mounted within said receiver, and vertically slidable whereby both said iring pins may be held in the cocked position by said sear rims bearing on said sear plate; a pair of breech locks reciprocally mounted in said breech plate and adapted, upon forward movement, to project into recesses in said barrel support to lock said barrels in the firing position; a cooking block secured to said breech locks and adapted to cock said ring pins upon movement of said breech lock; a cocking lever hingeably secured to said receiver and including a lever member for moving said cocking block rearwardly to cock said ring pins; a trigger, pivotally secured to said receiver and in cooperative relationship with said sear plate, whereby both said firing pins may be released at one time; a selector shaft pivotally mounted in a vertical position within said receiver; a selector lever secured to said shaft and projecting above said receiver, whereby said shaft may be manually pivoted; a pair of locking jaws secured to said shaft and projecting to either side thereof, whereby either one of said ring pins may be engaged wit-h said locking jaws, upon pivoting said shaft to one side or the ot er; and a safety lock secured to said shaft and interacting with said trigger to lock same and prevent firing of said action.

2. An action for double barrel firearms wherein either one of two diiferent independently interchangeable barrels may be selected for firing independently and comprising a receiver defined by a pair of side plates; a barrel support, whereby a pair of barrels are supported in parallel relationship one above the other, said support being hingeably secured to the front end of said receiver, whereby said barrels may be swung downwardly; a spring loaded extractor reciprocally mounted in said barrel support and adapted to extract shells from said barrels upon said support being swung downwardly; guide means in said receiver side plates, coacting with said extractor to operate same; a breech plate secured to said receiver between said side plates and adapted to support shells in said barrels, upon said barrel support being in the closed position; a pair of firing pins reciprocally mounted in said receiver and projecting through said breech plate to be substantially in line with said barrels, said pins including cocking shoulders and sear rims; spring means biasing said firing pins forwardly; a sear plate mounted within said receiver, and vertically slidable whereby both said tiring pins may be held in the cocked position by said sear rims bearing on said sear plate; a pair of breech locks reciprocally mounted in said breech plate and adapted, upon forward movement to project into recesses in said barrel support to lock said barrels in the ring position; a cocking block secured to said breech locks and adapted to cock said firing pins upon movement of said breech lock; a cocking lever hingeably secured to said receiver and including a lever member for moving said cocking block rearwardly to cock said firing pins; a trigger, pivotally secured to said receiver and in cooperative relationship with said sear plate, whereby both said firing pins may be released at one time; a selector shaft pivotally mounted in a vertical position within said receiver; a selector lever secured to said shaft and projecting above said receiver, whereby said shaft may be manually pivoted; a pair of locking jaws secured to said shaft and projecting to either side thereof, whereby either one of said firing pins mayy be engaged with said locking jaws, upon pivoting said shaft lto one side or the other; and a safety lock secured to said shaft and interacting with said trigger to lock same and prevent firing of said action.

3. An action for double barrel firearms wherein either one of two different independently interchangeable barrels may be selected for tiring independently and comprising a receiver defined by a pair of side plates; a.

barrel support, whereby a pair of barrels are supported in parallel relationship one above the other, said support being hingeably secured .to the front end of said receiver, whereby said barrels may be swung downwardly; a breech plate secured to said receiver between said side plates and adapted to support shells in said barrels, upon said barrel support being .in the closed position; a pair of iin'ng pins reciprocally mounted in said receiver and projecting through said breech plate to be substantially in line with said barrels, said pins including cock- -ing shoulders and sear rims; spring means biasing said lfiring pins forwardly; `a sear plate mounted within said receiver, and vertically slidable whereby both said liring pins may be held in the cocked position by said sear rims bearing on said scar plate; a pair of breech locks reciprocally mounted in said breech plate and adapted, upon forward movement, to project into recesses in said barrel support to lock said barrels in the lining position; a cocking block secured to said breech locks fand adapted to cock said firing pins upon movement of said breech lock; a cooking lever hingeably secured to said receiver and including a lever member for moving said cocking block rearwardly to cock said iring pins; lever means pivotaily secured between said cooking -lever and said barrel support, whereby said cocking lever is swung downwardly to cock said pins upon said barrels being swung downwardly; a trigger, pivotally secured to said receiver and in cooperative relationship with said scar plate, whereby both said ring pins may be released at one time; a selector shaft pivotally mounted ina vertical position within said receiver; a selector lever secured to said shaft yand projecting above said receiver, whereby said shaft may be manually pivoted; a pair of locking jaws secured to said shaft and projecting to either side thereof; whereby either one of said firing pins may be engaged with said locking jaws, upon pivoting said shaft to one side or -the other; and la safety lock secured to said shaft and interacting with said trigger to lock same and prevent tiring of said action.

4. An action for double barrel drearms wherein either one of two different independently interchangeable barv rels may be selected for firing independently and comprising a receiver defined by a pair of side plates; a barrel support, whereby a pair of barrels are supported in parallel relationship one above the other, said support being hingeably secured to the front end of said receiver, whereby said barrels may be swung downwardly; a breech plate secured to said receiver between said side plates and adapted to support shells in said barrels, upon said barrel suppont being in the closed position; a pair of iiring pins reciprocally mounted in said receiver and projecting through said breech plate to be substan- .tially in line with said barrels, said pins including cockng shoulders and sear rims; spring means biasing said tiring pins forwardly; a scar plate mounted within said receiver, and vertically slidable whereby both said ririn-g pins may be held in the cocked position by said Sear rims bearing on said scar plate; -a pair of breech locks reciprocally mounted in said breech plate and adapted, upon forward movement to project into recesses in said barrel support to lock said barrels in the firing position; a cooking block secured to lsaid breech locks yand adapted to cock said tiring pins upon movement of said breech lock; .a :cooking lever hingeably secured to said receiver and including a lever member for moving said cooking block rearwardly to cock said firing pins; a trigger, pivotally secured to said receiver and in cooperative relationship with said sear plate, whereby both said pins may be released at one time; a selector shaft pivotally mounted in a vertical position within said receiver; a selector lever secured to said shaft yand projecting above said receiver, whereby said shaft may be manually pivoted; a pair of locking jaws secured to said shaft and projecting to either side thereof, whereby either one of said tiring pins may be engaged with said locking jaws, upon pivoting said shaft to one side or the other; a safety lock secured to said shaft and interacting with said trigger to lock same and prevent tiring of said action; and a safety reset including a pair of side arms secured to said shaft, whereby said shaft is rotated by interaction of rearward extensions of said .breech locks with one or the other of said arms upon cooking said action, thus resetting :said safety lock.

5 An action for double barrel firearms wherein either one of two different independently interchangeable barrels may be selected for tiring independently and cornprising a receiver deiined by a pair of side plates; -a barrel support, whereby a pair of barrels are supported rin parallel relationship one above the other, said support being hingeably secured to the front end of said receiver, whereby said barrels may be swung downwardly; a spring loaded extractor reciprocally mounted in said barrel support and adapted to extract shells from said barrels upon said support being swung downwardly; guide means in said receiver side plates, ccacting with said extractor to operate same; a breech plate secured to said receiver between said side plates and adapted to support shells in said barrels, upon said barrel support being in the closed position; a pair of firing pins reciprocally mounted in said receiver and projecting through said breech plate to be substantially in line with said barrels, said pins including cooking shoulders and sear rims, spring means biasing said tiring pins forwardly; a sear plate mounted within said receiver, and vertically slidable whereby both said tiring pins may be held in the cocked position by said scar rims bearing on said sear plate; a pair of breech locks reciprocally mounted in said breech plate 'and adapted upon forward movement, to project into recesses in [said barrel support to lock said barrels in the ltiring position; a cocking block secured to said breech locks and adapted to cock said firing pins upon movement of said breech lock; 4a cocking lever hingeably secured to said receiver and including a lever member 4for moving said cocking block rearward-ly to cock said tiring pins; `lever means pivotally secured between said cocking leve-r and said barrel support, whereby said cockiug lever is swung downwardly to cock said pins upon said barrels being swung downwardly; a trigger, pivotally secured to said receiver and in cooperative relationship with said sear plate, whereby both said tiring pins may be released at one time; a selector shaft pivotally mounted in a vertical position within said receiver; a selector lever secured .to said shaft and projecting above ssaid receiver, whereby said shaft may be manually pivoted; a pair of locking jaws secured to said shaft and projecting to either side thereof, whereby either one of said tiring pins may be engaged with said locking jaws, upon pivoting said shaiit to one side or the other; a safety lock secured -to said shaft and interacting with said trigger -to lock same and prevent firing of said action; and a safety reset including a pair of side arms secured to said sha1-lt, whereby said shaft is rotated by interaction of rearward eXtensions of said breech locks with one or the other of said trnls upon cooking said action, thus resetting said safety `oc No references cited. 

1. AN ACTION FOR DOUBLE BARREL FIREARMS WHEREIN EITHER ONE OF TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENTLY INTERCHANGEABLE BARRELS MAY BE SELECTED FOR FIRING INDEPENDENTLY AND COMPRISING A RECEIVER DEFINED BY A PAIR OF SIDE PLATES; A BARREL SUPPORT, WHEREBY A PAIR OF BARRELS ARE SUPPORTED IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP ONE ABOVE THE OTHER, SAID SUPPORT BEING HINGEABLY SECURED TO THE FRONT END OF SAID RECEIVER, WHEREBY SAID BARRELS MAY BE SWUNG DOWNWARDLY; A BREECH PLATE SECURED TO SAID RECEIVER BETWEEN SAID SIDE PLATES AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SHELLS IN SAID BARRELS, UPON SAID BARREL SUPPORT BEING IN THE CLOSED POSITION; A PAIR OF FIRING PINS RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED IN SAID RECEIVER AND PROJECTING THROUGH SAID BREECH PLATE TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN LINE WITH SAID BARRELS, SAID PINS INCLUDING COCKING SHOULDERS AND SEAR RIMS; SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID FIRING PINS FORWARDLY; A SEAR PLATE MOUNTED WITHIN SAID RECEIVER, AND VERTICALLY SLIDABLE WHEREBY BOTH SAID FIRING PINS MAY BE HELD IN THE COCKED POSITION BY SAID SEAR RIMS BEARING ON SAID SEAR PLATE; A PAIR OF BREECH LOCKS RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED IN SAID BREECH PLATE AND ADAPTED, UPON FORWARD MOVEMENT, TO PROJECT INTO RECESSES IN SAID BARREL SUPPORT TO LOCK SAID BARRELS IN THE FIRING POSITION; A COCKING BLOCK SECURED TO SAID BREECH LOCKS AND ADAPTED TO COCK SAID FIRING PINS UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID BREECH LOCK; A COCKING LEVER HINGEABLY SECURED TO SAID RECEIVER AND INCLUDING A LEVER MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID COCKING BLOCK REARWARDLY TO COCK SAID FIRING PINS; A TRIGGER, PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID RECEIVER AND IN COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SEAR PLATE, WHEREBY BOTH SAID FIRING PINS MAY BE RELEASED AT ONE TIME; A SELECTOR SHAFT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN A VERTICAL POSITION WITHIN SAID RECEIVER; A SELECTOR LEVER SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND PROJECTING ABOVE SAID RECEIVER, WHEREBY SAID SHAFT MAY BE MANUALLY PIVOTED; A PAIR OF LOCKING JAWS SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND PROJECTING TO EITHER SIDE THEREOF, WHEREBY EITHER ONE OF SAID FIRING PINS MAY BE ENGAGED WITH SAID LOCKING JAWS, UPON PIVOTING SAID SHAFT TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER; AND A SAFETY LOCK SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND INTERACTING WITH SAID TRIGGER TO LOCK SAME AND PREVENT FIRING OF SAID ACTION. 